U.S. patent application number 15/171846 was filed with the patent office on 2017-06-15 for imaging system and method for making the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Shitao LIU, Weiping LIU, Guanghe WU.
Application Number | 20170168169 15/171846 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59020642 |
Filed Date | 2017-06-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170168169 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LIU; Weiping ; et
al. |
June 15, 2017 |
IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME
Abstract
An imaging system is provided. A method for installing the
imaging system is provided. The imaging system may include a first
modality imaging apparatus. The first modality imaging apparatus
may have a detector including a scintillator unit, a photodetector
unit, a circuit unit, a supporting block, and a supporting board.
The supporting block may be disposed on an end of the scintillator
unit. The supporting board may be disposed between the
photodetector unit and the circuit unit.
Inventors: |
LIU; Weiping; (Shanghai,
CN) ; WU; Guanghe; (Shanghai, CN) ; LIU;
Shitao; (Shanghai, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD. |
Shanghai |
|
CN |
|
|
Assignee: |
SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE
CO., LTD.
Shanghai
CN
|
Family ID: |
59020642 |
Appl. No.: |
15/171846 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01T 7/00 20130101; A61B
6/037 20130101; G01T 1/2985 20130101; G01T 1/1603 20130101; A61B
6/4241 20130101; G01T 1/2018 20130101; G01T 1/1644 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G01T 1/29 20060101
G01T001/29; G01T 7/00 20060101 G01T007/00; G01T 1/20 20060101
G01T001/20; A61B 6/03 20060101 A61B006/03; A61B 6/00 20060101
A61B006/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 11, 2015 |
CN |
201510922862.4 |
Feb 3, 2016 |
CN |
201610079034.3 |
Claims
1. An imaging system having a first modality imaging apparatus, the
first modality imaging apparatus having a detector comprising: a
scintillator unit; a photodetector unit; a circuit unit; a
supporting block disposed on an end of the scintillator unit; and a
supporting board disposed between the photodetector unit and the
circuit unit.
2. The system of claim 1, the detector further comprising a
shielded shell configured to contain the scintillator unit, the
photodetector unit, the supporting board and the circuit unit.
3. The system of claim 2, the supporting board segmenting the
shielded shell into a first cavity and a second cavity; and wherein
the scintillator unit and the photodetector unit being disposed in
the first cavity, and the circuit unit being disposed in the second
cavity.
4. The system of claim 1, the supporting board comprising a cooling
channel configured to deliver a cooling medium.
5. The system of claim 1, the detector further comprising an
elastic component disposed between the supporting board and the
photodetector unit or disposed between the supporting board and the
circuit unit.
6. The system of claim 5, the elastic component being a spring, an
elastic cushion, or an elastic board.
7. The system of claim 5, the elastic component having thermal
conductance.
8. The system of claim 1, the detectors configured to encircle a
ring having an axis; and wherein the distance between the
supporting board and the axis of the ring is less than the distance
between the circuit unit and the axis of the ring.
9. The system of claim 1, further having a second modality imaging
apparatus and an installation apparatus, the installation apparatus
comprising: a supporting block; a first guiding block disposed on a
first housing of the first modality imaging apparatus; and a second
guiding block disposed on a second housing of the second modality
imaging apparatus, wherein the second modality imaging apparatus
sits on the supporting block when the first guiding block aligns
with the second guiding block.
10. The system of claim 9, the installation apparatus further
comprising a third guiding block having a first end and a second
end; wherein the first end of the third guiding block is connected
to the first housing of the first modality imaging apparatus and
the second end of the third guiding block is connected to the
supporting block.
11. The system of claim 9, the supporting block comprising: a first
supporting plate; and an adjustable bolt disposed on the first
supporting plate and configured to adjust the height of the first
supporting plate.
12. The system of claim 11, the supporting block further comprising
a second supporting plate parallel to the first supporting plate
and connected to the first supporting plate via a supporting
lump.
13. The system of claim 12, the supporting block further
comprising: a guide rail disposed on the first supporting plate;
and a slide lump fixed to the second supporting plate and
configured to guide the second supporting plate to move on the
guide rail.
14. The system of claim 12, the supporting block further comprising
a limit lump disposed on the second supporting plate; and wherein
the second modality imaging apparatus seating in the limit
lump.
15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first guiding block and the
second guiding block each have an L-shape; and wherein the first
guiding block further comprises a groove configured to indicate the
alignment of the first guiding block and the second guiding block
when the second guiding block is inserted into the groove.
16. The system of claim 9, the first guiding block being a light
emission device and the second guiding block being a light
reception device.
17. An imaging system installation method comprising: providing a
first modality imaging apparatus having a first scanning cavity and
a first housing; providing a second modality imaging apparatus
having a second scanning cavity and a second housing; seating the
first modality imaging apparatus; installing a supporting block in
the first modality imaging apparatus; and installing a first
guiding block on the first housing of the first modality imaging
apparatus; and installing a second guiding block on the second
housing of the second modality imaging apparatus, wherein the first
guiding block and second guiding block are configured to guide the
second scanning cavity to align with in an axial direction of the
first scanning cavity in an axial direction of the first scanning
cavity.
18. The method of claim 17 further comprising: installing a third
guiding block having a first end and a second end; wherein the
first end of the third guiding block is connected to the first
housing of the first modality imaging apparatus and the second end
of the third guiding block is connected to the supporting
block.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the supporting block comprises
a first supporting plate, the method further comprising: disposing
an adjustable bolt on the first supporting plate; and adjusting the
height of the first supporting plate.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the supporting block comprises
a second supporting plate parallel to the first supporting plate,
the method further comprising: connecting the second supporting
plate with a supporting lump.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority of Chinese Patent
Application No. 201510922862.4 filed on Dec. 11, 2015 and Chinese
Patent Application No. 201610079034.3 filed on Feb. 3, 2016, the
entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This present disclosure relates to an imaging system, and
more particularly, relates to a Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
system and method for making the same.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Positron Emission Tomography (PET) has been widely used in
medicine for diagnosis and other purposes, such as cancer diagnosis
and management, cardiology and cardiac surgery, neurology and
psychiatry, etc. In recent years, PET has also be used in
multi-modality imaging system for generating high quality images,
such as Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT)
and Positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging
(PET-MRI).
SUMMARY
[0004] In a first aspect of the present disclosure, an imaging
system having a first modality imaging apparatus is provided. In
some embodiments, the first modality imaging apparatus may have a
detector. The detector may include a scintillator unit, a
photodetector unit, a circuit unit, a supporting block, and a
supporting board. In some embodiments, the detector may include a
supporting block disposed on an end of the scintillator unit and a
supporting board disposed between the photodetector unit and the
circuit unit.
[0005] In a second aspect of the present disclosure, a
multi-modality imaging system installation method is provided. The
method may include one or more of the following operations. A first
modality imaging apparatus having a first cavity and a first
housing may be provided. A second modality imaging apparatus having
a second cavity and a second housing may be provided. The first
modality imaging apparatus may be seated. A supporting block may be
installed in the first modality imaging apparatus. A first guiding
block may be installed on the first housing of the first modality
imaging apparatus and a second guiding block may be installed on
the second housing of a second modality imaging apparatus, wherein
the first guiding block and second guiding block may be configured
to guide a second scanning cavity of the second modality imaging
apparatus align with an axial direction of the first scanning
cavity in an axial direction of the first scanning cavity.
[0006] In some embodiments, the detector may further include a
shielded shell configured to contain the scintillator unit, the
photodetector unit, the supporting board and the circuit unit.
[0007] In some embodiments, the supporting board may segment the
shielded shell into a first cavity and a second cavity, wherein the
scintillator unit and the photodetector unit may be disposed in the
first cavity, and the circuit unit may be disposed in the second
cavity.
[0008] In some embodiments, the supporting board may include a
cooling channel configured to deliver a cooling medium.
[0009] In some embodiments, the detector may further include an
elastic component disposed between the supporting board and the
photodetector unit or disposed between the supporting board and the
circuit unit.
[0010] In some embodiments, the elastic component may be a spring,
an elastic cushion or an elastic board.
[0011] In some embodiments, the elastic component may have thermal
conductance.
[0012] In some embodiments, the detectors may be configured to
encircle a ring having an axis, wherein the distance between the
supporting board and the axis of the ring is less than the distance
between the circuit unit and the axis of the ring.
[0013] In some embodiments, the imaging system may further include
a second modality apparatus and an installation apparatus. The
installation apparatus may include a supporting block, a first
guiding block, and a second guiding block. In some embodiments, the
first guiding block may be disposed on the first housing of the
first modality imaging system and the second guiding block may be
disposed on the second housing of the second modality imaging
apparatus. In some embodiments, when the first guiding block aligns
with the second guiding block, the second modality imaging
apparatus may sit on the supporting block.
[0014] In some embodiments, the installation apparatus may further
include a third guiding block having a first end and a second end,
wherein the first end of the third guiding block may be connected
to the first housing of the first modality imaging apparatus and
the second end may be connected to the supporting block.
[0015] In some embodiments, the supporting block may include a
first supporting plate and an adjustable bolt. In some embodiments,
the adjustable bolt may be disposed on the first supporting plate
and configured to adjust the height of the first supporting
plate.
[0016] In some embodiments, the supporting block may further
include a second supporting plate parallel to the first supporting
plate. In some embodiments, the second supporting plate may be
connected to the first supporting plate via a supporting lump.
[0017] In some embodiments, the supporting block may further
include a guide rail and a slide lump. In some embodiments, the
guide rail may be disposed on the first supporting plate and the
slide lump may be fixed to the second supporting plate and
configured to guide the second supporting plate to move on the
guide rail.
[0018] In some embodiments, the supporting block may further
include a limit lump disposed on the second supporting plate,
wherein the second modality imaging apparatus may seat in the limit
lump.
[0019] In some embodiments, the first guiding block and the second
guiding block may each have an L-shape, wherein the first guiding
block may further include a groove configured to indicate the
alignment of the first guiding block and the second guiding block
when the second guiding block is inserted into the groove.
[0020] In some embodiments, the first guiding block may be a light
emission device and the second guiding block may be a light
reception device.
[0021] Additional features will be set forth in part in the
description which follows, and in part will become apparent to
those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and the
accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation
of the examples. The features of the present disclosure may be
realized and attained by practice or use of various aspects of the
methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations set forth in the
detailed examples discussed below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The present disclosure is further described in terms of
exemplary embodiments. These exemplary embodiments are described in
detail with reference to the drawings. These embodiments are
non-limiting exemplary embodiments, in which like reference
numerals represent similar structures throughout the several views
of the drawings, and wherein:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an imaging system according to
some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a scanner according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a scintillation crystal module
according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a section view of a scintillation crystal module
according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary process for making a
scintillation crystal module according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0028] FIG. 6A shows a schematic view of a scintillation crystal
module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0029] FIG. 6B shows a section view along the B-B direction of a
scintillation crystal module according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0030] FIG. 6C shows a schematic view of a scintillation crystal
array according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary process for making the
scintillation crystal array according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a section view of a scintillation crystal array
according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0033] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary process for making a
scintillation crystal array according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0034] FIG. 10A-FIG. 10C illustrate an exemplary process for making
a scintillation crystal array according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0035] FIG. 11A-FIG. 11E illustrate an exemplary process for making
a scintillation crystal array according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0036] FIG. 12A-FIG. 12E illustrate an exemplary process for making
a scintillation crystal array according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0037] FIG. 13 is a diagram depicting a detector according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0038] FIG. 14A-FIG. 14C illustrate an exemplary scintillation
crystal stick according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0039] FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B illustrate an exemplary process for
manufacturing a scintillation crystal stick according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0040] FIG. 16 is a diagram depicting a detector according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0041] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a multi-modality imaging
system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0042] FIG. 18 is a block diagram of an installation apparatus
according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0043] FIG. 19A and FIG. 19B illustrate an exemplary installation
apparatus of a multi-modality imaging system according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0044] FIG. 20A and FIG. 20B illustrate an exemplary supporting
block according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0045] FIG. 21A is a schematic diagram of a first guiding block
according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0046] FIG. 21B is a schematic diagram of a second guiding block
according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0047] FIG. 21C is a schematic diagram of the first guiding block
aligned with the second guiding block according to some embodiments
of the present disclosure;
[0048] FIG. 22A is an exploded view of a CT center indicator
according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0049] FIG. 22B is a schematic diagram of a four-dimensional
adjustment platform according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0050] FIG. 23 illustrates a PET center indicator according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure; and
[0051] FIG. 24 illustrates an exemplary process of installation
alignment in a multi-modality imaging system according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0052] In the following detailed description, numerous specific
details are set forth by way of example in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the relevant disclosure. However, it
should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present
disclosure may be practiced without such details. In other
instances, well known methods, procedures, systems, components,
and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level,
without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects
of the present disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosed
embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art,
and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other
embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and
scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is
not limited to the embodiments shown, but to be accorded the widest
scope consistent with the claims.
[0053] It will be understood that the term "system," "device,"
"apparatus," "unit," "module," "component," and/or "block" used
herein are one method to distinguish different components,
elements, parts, section or assembly of different level in
ascending order. However, the terms may be exchanged or displaced
by other expression if they may achieve the same purpose.
[0054] It will be understood that when a device, apparatus, unit,
module, component or block is referred to as being "on," "connected
to" or "coupled to" another device, apparatus, unit, module,
component or block, it may be directly on, connected or coupled to,
or communicate with the other device, apparatus, unit, module,
component or block, or an intervening device, apparatus, unit,
module, component or block may be present, unless the context
clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term "and/or"
includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated
listed items.
[0055] The terminology used herein is for the purposes of
describing particular examples and embodiments only, and is not
intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a,"
"an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as
well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be
further understood that the terms "include," and/or "comprise,"
when used in this disclosure, specify the presence of integers,
devices, behaviors, stated features, steps, elements, operations,
and/or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of
one or more other integers, devices, behaviors, features, steps,
elements, operations, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be
further understood that the terms "construction" and
"reconstruction," when used in this disclosure, may represent a
similar process in which an image may be transformed from data.
[0056] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an imaging system 100 according to
some embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be noted that
the imaging system 100 described below is merely provided for
illustration purposes, and not intended to limit the scope of the
present disclosure. The imaging system may find its applications in
different fields, for example, medicine, or industry. As another
example, the system may be used in internal inspection of
components including, e.g., flaw detection, security scanning,
failure analysis, metrology, assembly analysis, void analysis, wall
thickness analysis, or the like, or any combination thereof. As
illustrated in FIG. 1, the imaging system 100 may include a scanner
110, a processor 120, a terminal 130, a display 140, a database
150, and a network 160.
[0057] The scanner 110 may be configured to acquire some data by
scanning a subject. The subject used herein may be any substance, a
tissue, an organ, an object, a body of interest, etc. The scanner
110 may include a Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) scanner, a
Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) scanner, a Computed Tomography
Angiography (CTA) scanner, a Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
scanner, a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)
scanner, a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, a Digital Radiography
(DR) scanner, a multi-modality scanner, or the like, or any
combination thereof. Exemplary multi-modality scanner may include a
Computed Tomography-Positron Emission Tomography (CT-PET) scanner,
a Computed Tomography-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CT-MM) scanner, a
Positron Emission Tomography-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET-MRI)
scanner, a Digital Subtraction Angiography-Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (DSA-MR) scanner etc.
[0058] The processor 120 may be configured to process the data
acquired from the scanner 110. In some embodiments, the data may
include a text, an image, a voice, a force, an instruction, an
algorithm, a program, or the like, or any combination thereof. In
some embodiments, the processor 120 may include one or more
processors, one or more processing cores, one or more memories, and
one or more electronics for image processing, or the like, or any
combination thereof. Merely by way of example, the processor 120
may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application-Specific
Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an Application-Specific Instruction-Set
Processor (ASIP), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a Physics
Processing Unit (PPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Field
Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Programmable Logic Device (PLD),
a Controller, a Microcontroller unit, a Processor, a
Microprocessor, an ARM, or the like, or any combination thereof. In
some embodiments, the processor 120 may access the database 150 for
processing the data.
[0059] The terminal 130 may be configured to input or receive data
to and/or from a user, the network 160, the database 150, the
processor 120, the display 140, or the like, or any combination
thereof. In some embodiments, the terminal 130 may include a user
input, a controller, a processor, etc. For example, the user input
may be a keyboard input, a mouse input, a touch screen input, a
handwritten input, an image input, a voice input, an
electromagnetic wave input, or the like, or any combination
thereof. The controller may be configured to control the scanner
110, the processor 120, the display 140, or the database 150. The
processor may be configured to process data acquired in the
terminal 130. In some embodiments, the processor 120 and the
terminal 130 may be integrated as one device. Merely by way of
example, the terminal 130 may be a computer, a laptop, a Personal
Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a
portable device, or the like, or any combination thereof.
[0060] The display 140 may be configured to display processed data
from the scanner 110, the processor 120, the terminal 130, or the
network 140. The display 140 may be any displayable device. In some
other embodiments, the terminal 130 and the display 140 may be
integrated as one device to input data, output data, display data,
and control the imaging system 100.
[0061] The database 150 may be configured to store data relating to
the imaging system. In some embodiments, the data may include a
text, an image, a voice, a force, an instruction, an algorithm, a
program, or the like, or any combination thereof. Merely by way of
example, the database 150 may be a memory. The memory may be a main
memory or an assistant memory. The main memory may include a Random
Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), a Complementary
Metal Oxide Semiconductor Memory (CMOS), etc. The assistant memory
may include a magnetic surface memory, a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), a
floppy disk, a magnetic tape, a disc (CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.), a USB
Flash Drive (UFD), or the like, or any combination thereof.
[0062] The network 160 may be configured to connect one or more
components of the imaging system 100. Merely by way of example, the
network 160 may include a tele communications network, a local area
network (LAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wireless Local Area
Network (WLAN), a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), a Wide Area
Network (WAN), a Bluetooth, a ZigBee, a Near Field Communication
(NFC), or the like, or any combination thereof. In some
embodiments, the processor 120, the database 150, the display 140,
or the terminal 130 may be disposed near to the scanner 110. For
example, the scanner 110, the processor 120, the database 150, the
display 140, or the terminal 130 may be connected with each other
through some transmission medium. The transmission medium may
include solid, liquid, gas, plasma, or the like, or any combination
thereof. In some other embodiments, one or more of the above
components may be remote from the scanner 110. Merely by way of
example, the processor 120 and the database 150 may be implemented
on a cloud platform. The cloud platform may be a cloud computing
platform or a cloud storing platform. The type of the cloud
platform may include a private cloud, a public cloud, a hybrid
cloud, a community cloud, a distributed cloud, an inter-cloud, a
multi-cloud, or the like, or any combination thereof. As another
example, the display 140 and the terminal 130 may be operated by a
remote system.
[0063] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the imaging system 100 may include several processors,
databases, displays, terminals when the scanner 110 is a
multi-modality scanner. As another example, the display 140, the
terminal 130, and the processor 120 may be integrated as one
device. However, those variations and modifications do not depart
from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0064] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a scanner according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the
scanner 110 may include a scintillation crystal module 210, a
photodetector module 220, a circuit module 230, and a supporting
module 240.
[0065] The scintillation crystal module 210 may be configured to
detect ionizing radiation to produce light photons. Exemplary
scintillation crystal module 210 may include an organic crystal, a
plastic scintillator, an inorganic crystal, a gaseous scintillator,
a glass, or the like, or any combination thereof. In some
embodiments, the organic crystal may include an anthracene
(C.sub.14H.sub.10), a stilbene (C.sub.14H.sub.12), a naphthalene
(C.sub.10H.sub.18), etc. In some embodiments, the organic liquid
may be a liquid solution of one of more organic solutes in an
organic solvent. Exemplary organic solutes may include a fluor such
asp-terphenyl (C.sub.14H.sub.14), PBD (C.sub.20H.sub.14N.sub.2O),
butyl PBD (C.sub.24H.sub.22N.sub.2O), PPO (C.sub.15H.sub.11NO),
POPOP(C.sub.24H.sub.16N.sub.2O), or the like, or any combination
thereof. Exemplary organic solvents may include toluene, xylene,
benzene, phenylcyclohexane, triethylbenzene and decalin, or the
like, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the plastic
scintillator may include a fluor suspended in a matrix. Exemplary
fluor may include polyphenyl hydrocarbons, oxazole and oxadiazole
aryls, n-terphenyl (PPP), 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO),
1,4-di-(5-phenyl-2-oxazolyl)-benzene (POPOP),
2-phenyl-5-(4-biphenylyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD), and
2-(4'-tert-butylphenyl)-5-(4''-biphenylyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole
(B-PBD), or the like, or any combination thereof. Exemplary
matrices may include polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), aromatic
plastic, polyvinyl xylene (PVX) polymethyl, 2,4-dimethyl,
2,4,5-trimethyl styrenes, polyvinyl diphenyl, polyvinyl
naphthalene, polyvinyl tetrahydronaphthalene, or the like, or any
combination thereof. Exemplary inorganic crystals may include
NaI(Tl), CsI(Tl), CsI(Na), CsI(pure), CsF, KI(Tl), LiI(Eu),
BaF.sub.2, CaF.sub.2(Eu), ZnS(Ag), CaWO.sub.4, CdWO.sub.4, YAG(Ce)
(Y.sub.3Al.sub.5O.sub.12(Ce)), GSO, LSO, LYSO, BGO, MLS, or the
like, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the gaseous
scintillator may include nitrogen, helium, argon, krypton, xenon,
helium and xenon, or the like, or any combination thereof. In some
embodiments, the glass may include cerium-activated lithium, boron
silicates, etc.
[0066] The photodetector module 220 may be configured to convert
the light photons produced by the scintillation crystal module 210
into electrical signals. Exemplary photodetector module 220 may
include a photomultiplier tube (PMT), an avalanche photodetector
(APD), a position sensitive photodetector (PSPD), a
position-sensitive APD (PSAPD), a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), a
position sensitive photomultiplier (PSPMT), a charge-sensitive
preamplifier (CSP), a cadmium zinc telluride detector (CZT), or the
like, or any combination thereof.
[0067] The circuit module 230 may be configured to process and
readout the electrical signals produced by the photodetector module
220. For example, the circuit module 230 may amplify the electrical
signals. As another example, the circuit module 230 may transmit
data received from the photodetector module 220 to the network 160,
the processor 120, the database 150, the display 140, or the
terminal 130. Merely by way of example, the circuit module 230 may
be a printed circuit board (PCB).
[0068] The supporting module 240 may be configured to improve
compactness and firmness of the scanner 110. In some embodiments,
the supporting module 240 may include a supporting block, a
supporting board, a shielded shell, or an elastic component.
[0069] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the supporting module 240 may be not included in the
scanner 110 in some embodiments. As another example, the scanner
110 may include other components, e.g., an installation apparatus.
However, those variations and modifications do not depart from the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0070] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the scintillation crystal
module 210 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
It should be noted that the scintillation crystal module 210
described below is merely provided for illustration purposes, and
not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As shown
in FIG. 3, the scintillation crystal module 210 may include a
plurality of scintillation crystal slices 310, at least one
reflective film 320, and at least one bump 330. In some
embodiments, the scintillation crystal slices 310 may be
alternately stuck or glued to the at least one reflective film 320
to make the scintillation crystal module 210. In some other
embodiments, the scintillation crystal module 210 may further
include the least one bump 330 attached or glued to the at least
one scintillation crystal slice 310.
[0071] FIG. 4 is a section view of a scintillation crystal module
according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For
illustration purposes, FIG. 4 shows two scintillation crystal
slices and one reflective film in a scintillation crystal module.
It should be noted that the amount, size, or shape of one or both
of the scintillation crystal slices and/or of the reflective film
may be varied and not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure. In some embodiments, the scintillation crystal module
400 may include at least one scintillation crystal slice 310 and at
least one reflective film 320. The scintillation crystal slice 310
may include a side surface 410 and a bottom surface 420 essentially
perpendicular to the side surface 410. The reflective film 320 may
include a main portion 320-1 and a folded portion 320-2. In some
embodiments, the main portion 320-1 and the folded portion may be
an integral piece. In some embodiments, the folded portion 320-2
may be attached or connected to the main portion 320-1. The main
portion 320-1 of the reflective film 320 may be stuck or glued to
the side surfaces 410 between the two scintillation crystal slices
310 through an adhesive. Merely by way of example, the adhesive may
be a liquid photosensitive curable adhesive (UV glue), a glass
cement glue (silicone), etc. The folded portion 320-2 of the
reflective film 320 may be pressed on the bottom surface 420 of the
scintillation crystal slice 310. Merely by way of example, the
length d of the folded portion 320-2 may range from 1.5 to 2.5
millimeters. The folded portion 320-2 may be underneath the bottom
of the scintillation crystal module 400. The folded portion 320-2
may cover part of or the entire bottom of the scintillation crystal
module 400.
[0072] In some embodiments, the scintillation crystal slices 310
and the reflective films 320 may be pressed by a press strip from
four sides of the scintillation crystal module 400. The four sides
of the scintillation crystal module 400 may include the front side,
the back side, the left side, and the right side. The folded
portion 320-2 or the corresponding bottom surface 420 may be
parallel and level when the scintillation crystal module 400 is
pressed. In some embodiments, the scintillation crystal module 400
may be cured after one or more of the four sides of the
scintillation crystal module 400 are pressed. The adhesive on any
one of the surfaces (e.g., six surfaces) of the scintillation
crystal module 400 may be cleaned after curing. In some
embodiments, the folded portion 320-2 may be removed. Merely by way
of example, part of or the entire folded portion 320-2 may be
removed by cutting using a tool.
[0073] In some embodiments, the scintillation crystal module 400
may be formed in various ways. For example, the folded portion
320-2 may contact the bottom surface 420 after the main portion
320-1 are stuck to a side surface 410, then the scintillation
crystal module 400 may be formed. As another example, the main
portion 320-1 and the folded portion 320-2 may form an integral
piece; the main portion 320-1 may be firstly stuck to the side
surfaces 410; then the remaining portion of the integral piece may
be folded and/or pressed to the bottom surface 420 to form the
folded portion 320-2.
[0074] In some embodiments, the size of the main portion 320-1 may
be predetermined. For example, the size of the main portion 320-1
may be determined according to the size of the scintillation
crystal module 210, or the size of a bottom surface 410 of a
scintillation crystal slice 310. In some embodiments, the folded
portion 320-2 and the main portion 320-1 may be an integral
structure or in piece. There may be a crease mark between the
folded portion 320-2 and the main portion 320-1. The crease mark
may be a printed dotted line mark. The printed dotted line mark may
be used for identification and/or positioning purposes when the
main portion 320-1 and/or the folder portion 320-02 are stuck or
glued to one or two of the scintillation crystal slices 310. In
some embodiments, the folded portion 320-2 may be externally
connected to the main portion 320-1.
[0075] In some embodiments, the side surface 410 of the
scintillation crystal slice 310 may be a face to which the
reflective film 320 sticks. In some embodiments, two relative large
surfaces of the scintillation crystal slice 310 may be the side
surfaces 410. The bottom surface 420 of the scintillation crystal
slice 310 may be any one of the four surfaces that are essentially
perpendicular to the side surface 410. In some embodiments, the
bottom surface 420 of the scintillation crystal slice 310 may
contact the folded portion 320-2 of the reflective film 320. The
bottom surface 420 may be pressed on the surface of the folded
portion 320-2 of the reflective film 320.
[0076] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the adhesive may be another adhesive material suitable for
making the scintillation crystal module 400. For another example,
the bottom surface may not mean it is located at the bottom when
the scintillation crystal module is in assembled into a detector.
However, those variations and modifications do not depart from the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0077] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary process for making the
scintillation crystal module 400 according to some embodiments of
the present disclosure. In step 510, at least one scintillation
crystal slice 310 may be provided. The scintillation crystal slice
310 may include a side surface 410 and a bottom surface 420,
wherein the bottom surface 420 may be perpendicular to the side
surface 410. In step 520, at least one reflective film 320 may be
provided. The reflective film may include a main portion 320-1 and
a folded portion 320-2 connected to the main portion. In step 530,
the reflective films 320 may be stuck or glued to the scintillation
crystal slices 310. In some embodiments, the main portion 320-1 of
the reflective films 320 may be stuck or glued to the side surface
410 of the scintillation crystal slices 310. In step 540, the
reflective films 320 may be alternately stuck or glued to the
scintillation crystal slices 310 to form the scintillation crystal
module 400. In some embodiments, the folded portion 320-2 of the
reflective films 320 may contact or otherwise be attached to the
bottom surface 420 of the scintillation crystal slices 310.
[0078] In some embodiments, in step 530, the side surface 410 and
the main portion 320-1 may first be gelatinized. For example, a
liquid photosensitive curable adhesive may be gelatinized to the
side surface 410 and the main portion 320-1. The crease mark
between the folded portion 320-2 and the main portion 320-1 may be
used for alignment. The crease mark may align with the edge of the
side surface 410. The folded portion 320-2 may be folded along the
crease mark and be pressed onto or otherwise attached to the bottom
surface 420. Merely by way of example, the main portion 320-1 may
be stuck to the side surface 410, and the folded portion 320-2 may
be pressed onto the bottom surface 420, for example, essentially at
the same time.
[0079] In some embodiments, in step 540, the reflective films 320
may be alternately stuck to the scintillation crystal slices 310
until a desired number of scintillation crystal slices are
assembled to form a scintillation crystal module 400. For example,
a scintillation crystal module 400 may include three scintillation
crystal slices and two reflective films, or five scintillation
crystal slices and four reflective films, or the like. In some
embodiments, the scintillation crystal module 400 may be a sandwich
structure.
[0080] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, one or more of steps in FIG. 5 may be omitted or repeated
to form a scintillation crystal module 400. However, those
variations and modifications do not depart from the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0081] FIG. 6A shows a schematic view of a scintillation crystal
module according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In
some embodiments, the scintillation crystal module 600 may include
at least one first scintillation crystal slice 610, at least one
reflective film 630, at least one bump 620, and an adhesive 640.
The first scintillation crystal slice 610 may include a side
surface 610-1. The bump 620 may be disposed on the side surface
610-1. In some embodiments, the thickness of the bump 620 may be
essentially equal to the thickness of the reflective film 630. For
instance, the thickness of the bump 620 may be between
approximately 70% and approximately 75% of the thickness of the
reflective film 630, or between approximately 75% and approximately
80% of the thickness of the reflective film 630, or between
approximately 90% and approximately 95% of the thickness of the
reflective film 630, or between approximately 95% and or
approximately 100% of the thickness of the reflective film 630, or
between approximately 100% and approximately 105% of the thickness
of the reflective film 630, or between approximately 105% and
approximately 110% of the thickness of the reflective film 630, or
between approximately 70% and approximately 130% of the thickness
of the reflective film 630, or between approximately 80% and
approximately 120% of the thickness of the reflective film 630, or
the like. The bump 620 may provide mechanical support to maintain
the space between two scintillation crystal slices 610. The first
scintillation crystal slice 610 may be stuck or glued to the
reflective film 630 through the adhesive 640 on the side surface
610-1. In some embodiments, the first scintillation crystal slices
610 may be alternately stuck or glued to the reflective films 630
through the adhesive 640 to form the scintillation crystal module
600 including a desired number of layers. Then the adhesive 640 may
be cured, and the first scintillation crystal slices 610 may be
pressed to make the scintillation crystal module 600. In some
embodiments, the structure of the scintillation crystal module 600
may be a sandwich. In some embodiments, one or both of the side
surface 610-1 and the reflective film 630 may be pre-processed by
gelatinization before they are stuck or glued.
[0082] In some embodiments, the bump 620 may be made by
gelatinizing a liquid adhesive to the side surface 610-1, and
curing the liquid adhesive. In some embodiments, the bump 620 may
be processed by other methods. In some embodiments, the liquid
adhesive may be same as the adhesive 640 for sticking or gluing the
reflective film 630 onto the bottom surface 610-1.
[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B, the reflective film
630 may be stuck or glued to the lower portion of the side surface
610-1 of the first scintillation crystal slices 610. The bump 620
may be located at the upper portion of the side surface 610-1. The
bump 620 may be disposed above the reflective film 630. The
adhesive 640 may fill the gap between the two adjacent first
scintillation crystal slices 610 except for the space occupied by
the bump 620 and the reflective film 630. In some embodiments, the
size (e.g., the area, the length of one or more dimensions, etc.)
of the side surface 610-1 may be bigger than the reflective film
630. For example, the height of the side surface 610-1 may be
bigger than that of the reflective film 630.
[0084] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the thickness of the bump 620 and the reflective films 630
may have an error range, such as .+-.0.01 millimeters. As another
example, the positions of the lower portion and the upper portion
of the side surface 610-1 described above may be relative. The bump
620 and the reflective films 630 may be disposed at any other
positions of the scintillation crystal slice 610 in other
embodiments. Moreover, the upper portion or the lower portion of
the side area 610 does not indicate the positions when the
scintillation crystal module 600 is placed in a PET scanner or when
the PET scanner is in operation. However, those variations and
modifications do not depart from the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0085] In some embodiments, the scintillation crystal module 600
may be cut into at least one scintillation crystal slices parallel
to the B-B direction. FIG. 6C shows a schematic view of a
scintillation crystal array 670 according to some embodiments of
the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the scintillation
crystal array 670 may include at least one second scintillation
crystal slice 650, at least one reflective film 630, at least one
bump 660, and an adhesive 640. The second scintillation crystal
slice 650 may include a side surface 650-1. The bump 660 may be
disposed on the side surface 650-1. In some embodiments, the
thickness of the bump 660 may be essentially equal to the thickness
of the reflective film 630. For instance, the thickness of the bump
660 may be between approximately 70% and approximately 75% of the
thickness of the reflective film 630, or between approximately 75%
and approximately 80% of the thickness of the reflective film 630,
or between approximately 90% and approximately 95% of the thickness
of the reflective film 630, or between approximately 95% and or
approximately 100% of the thickness of the reflective film 630, or
between approximately 100% and approximately 105% of the thickness
of the reflective film 630, or between approximately 105% and
approximately 110% of the thickness of the reflective film 630, or
between approximately 70% and approximately 130% of the thickness
of the reflective film 630, or between approximately 80% and
approximately 120% of the thickness of the reflective film 630, or
the like. The bump 660 may provide mechanical support to maintain
the space between two scintillation crystal slices 650. In some
embodiments, the second scintillation crystal slices 650 may be
alternately stuck or glued to the reflective films 630 through the
adhesive 640 to form a preliminary scintillation crystal array
including a desired number of layers. Then the adhesive 640 may be
cured, and the scintillation crystal slices 670 may be pressed to
make the scintillation crystal array 670. In some embodiments, the
structure of the scintillation crystal array 670 may be a sandwich.
In some embodiments, one or both of the side surface 650-1 and the
reflective film 630 may be gelatinization before they are stuck or
glued.
[0086] In some embodiments, the bump 660 may be made by
gelatinizing a liquid adhesive to the side surface 650-1, and
curing the liquid adhesive. In some embodiments, the bump 660 may
be processed by other methods. In some embodiments, the liquid
adhesive may be same as the adhesive 640 for sticking or gluing the
reflective film 630 onto the bottom surface 650-1.
[0087] In some embodiments, the reflective film 630 may be stuck or
glued to the lower portion of the side surface 650-1 of the second
scintillation crystal slices 650. The bump 660 may be located at
the upper portion of the side surface 650-1. The bump 660 may be
disposed above the reflective film 630. The adhesive 640 may fill
the remaining space between the adjacent two second scintillation
crystal slices 650 except for the space occupied by the bump 660
and the reflective film 630. In some embodiments, the size (e.g.,
the area, the length of one or more dimensions, etc.) of the side
surface 650-1 may be bigger than the reflective film 630. For
example, the height of the pates face 650-1 may be bigger than that
of reflective film 630.
[0088] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the thickness of the bump 660 and the reflective films 630
may have a reasonable error range, such as .+-.0.01 millimeters. As
another example, the positions of the lower portion and upper
portion of the side surface 650-1 described above may be relative.
The bump 660 and the reflective films 630 may be disposed at any
other positions of the scintillation crystal slice 650. Moreover,
the upper portion or the lower portion of the side area 650 does
not indicate the positions when the scintillation crystal module
600 is placed in a PET scanner or when the PET scanner is in
operation. However, those variations and modifications do not
depart from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0089] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary process for making a
scintillation crystal array according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure. In step 710, at least one reflective film 630
may be provided. In step 720, at least one first scintillation
crystal slice 610 may be provided. The first scintillation crystal
slice 610 may include a side surface 610-1. A bump 620 may be
disposed on the side surface 610-1. In some embodiments, the
thickness of the bump 620 may be essentially equal to the thickness
of the reflective film 630.
[0090] In step 730, the reflective films 630 may be alternately
stuck or glued to the first scintillation crystal slices 610 to
form a scintillation crystal module 600. In some embodiments, the
side surface 610-1 and the reflective film 630 may be
gelatinization before being stuck or glued. There may be an
interval between the bump 620 and the reflective film 630. In some
embodiments, the first scintillation crystal slices 610 and the
reflective films 630 may be cured to form the scintillation crystal
module 600.
[0091] In step 740, the scintillation crystal module 600 may be cut
into at least one second scintillation crystal slice 650 along the
direction perpendicular to the side surface 610-1. The second
scintillation crystal slice 650 may include a side surface 650-1. A
bump 660 may be set on the side surface 650-1. In some embodiments,
the thickness of the bump 660 may be essentially equal to the
thickness of the reflective film 630.
[0092] In step 750, the reflective films 630 may be alternately
stuck or glued to the second scintillation crystal slices 650 to
form a scintillation crystal array 670. In some embodiments, the
side surface 650-1 and the reflective film 630 may be pre-processed
by gelatinizing before being stuck or glued. There may be an
interval between the bump 660 and the reflective film 630. In some
embodiments, the second scintillation crystal slices 650 and the
reflective films 630 may be cured to form the scintillation crystal
array 670.
[0093] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, one or more of steps in FIG. 7 may be omitted or repeated
to form a scintillation crystal array 670. As another example, the
order of some steps may be exchanged. However, those variations and
modifications do not depart from the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0094] FIG. 8 is a section view of a scintillation crystal array
800 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The
scintillation crystal array 800 may include at least one
scintillation crystal unit 810 and an inclined plane 820. The
height of the scintillation crystal unit 810 may vary along with
the inclined plane 820. The heights of some of the scintillation
crystal units 810 may be different from each other in the first
direction (the X direction in FIG. 8). In some embodiments, the
heights of the scintillation crystal units 810 may be designed
based on the inclined plane 820. In some embodiments, the heights
of some of the scintillation crystal units 810 may be the same.
Merely by way of example, the height of the scintillation crystal
unit 810 at a position of along the inclined plane 820 may be
determined according to a maximum height of the scintillation
crystal array 800 at that position. The maximum height of the
scintillation crystal array 800 at a position may be determined
according to the inclined plane 820.
[0095] In some embodiments, the scintillation crystal unit 810 may
be a scintillation crystal slice, a scintillation crystal stick,
etc. The size or shape of the scintillation crystal unit 810 in the
scintillation array 800 may be essentially the same or different.
Merely by way of example, scintillation crystal slices may be
generated by cutting the scintillation crystal module along a first
direction. The scintillation crystal module may be cut along the
first direction for multiple times to generate multiple
scintillation crystal slices. The sizes of the multiple
scintillation crystal slices may be essentially the same, or
different. For instance, the cuts along the first direction may be
essentially equal-distanced such that the thicknesses of the
scintillation crystal slices are essentially the same. The
thickness of a scintillation slice may refer to the dimension
generated by two consecutive operations (e.g., cuts, etc.) along
the first direction. Merely by way of example, the variation of the
thicknesses of the scintillation crystal slices in the
scintillation module may be within 2%, or 5%, or 8%, or 10% of the
average thickness of the scintillation crystal slices.
[0096] A scintillation crystal stick may be generated by cutting
the scintillation crystal slice along a direction different from
the first direction. For instance, the second direction may be
essentially perpendicular to the first direction. Merely by way of
example, the angle between the first direction and the second
direction may be between approximately 70.degree. and approximately
75.degree., or between approximately 75.degree. and approximately
80.degree., or between approximately 80.degree. and approximately
85.degree., or between approximately 85.degree. and approximately
90.degree., or between approximately 90.degree. and approximately
95.degree., or between approximately 95.degree. and approximately
100.degree., or between approximately 100.degree. and approximately
105.degree., or between approximately 70.degree. and approximately
120.degree., or between approximately 80.degree. and approximately
110.degree., or between approximately 85.degree. and approximately
95.degree.. The scintillation crystal slices may be cut along the
second direction for multiple times to generate multiple
scintillation crystal sticks. The sizes of the multiple
scintillation crystal sticks may be essentially the same, or
different. For instance, the cuts along the second direction may be
essentially equal-distanced such that the thickness of the
scintillation crystal sticks are essentially the same. Merely by
way of example, the variation of the thicknesses of the
scintillation crystal slices in the scintillation module may be
within 2%, or 5%, or 8%, or 10% of the average thickness of the
scintillation crystal slices. The thickness of a scintillation
crystal stick may refer to the dimension of the scintillation
crystal stick generated by two consecutive operations (e.g., cuts,
etc.) along the second direction. The thickness of a scintillation
stick may be the same as the thickness of the scintillation crystal
slice on the basis of which the scintillation crystal stick is
generated by, for example, cutting.
[0097] For illustration purposes, the height of the scintillation
crystal unit 810 may be described below. As shown in FIG. 8, the
scintillation crystal array 800 may have a maximum height and a
minimum height. The scintillation crystal array 800 may include a
scintillation crystal unit 810-1 and a scintillation crystal unit
810-2. The height of the scintillation crystal unit 810-1 may be
determined according to the maximum height of the scintillation
crystal array 800. The height of the scintillation crystal unit
810-2 may be determined according to the minimum height of the
scintillation crystal array 800. In some embodiments, the inclined
plane 820 may be determined according to the position of the
scintillation crystal module and the optical amplifier (not shown
in the figure). A height difference h of two adjacent scintillation
crystal units 810 may be determined according to an angle .theta.
and a thickness t of the scintillation crystal unit 810. The angle
.theta. may be an angle between the inclined plane 820 and the X
direction. The height difference h may be determined according to
an equation below:
h=t*tg.theta.. (Equation 1)
[0098] In some embodiments, the length of the scintillation crystal
unit 810 along the Y direction may be essentially the same. Y is a
direction perpendicular to the paper as illustrated in FIG. 8. The
length of the scintillation crystal unit 810 may be essentially
equal to the length of the scintillation crystal array 800 along
the Y direction. In some embodiments, the thickness t of the
scintillation crystal unit 810 may be essentially the same. For
instance, the thickness t may be essentially equal to the ratio of
the length of the scintillation crystal array 800 along the X
direction to the number of the scintillation crystal unit 810 along
the X direction. As used herein, "essentially," as in "essentially
equal," "essentially the same," "essentially coincide with,"
"essentially parallel to," etc., with respect to a parameter or a
characteristic may indicate that the variation is within 2%, or 5%,
or 8%, or 10%, or 15% of the parameters or the characteristic, or
an average value of the parameter in, for example, a scintillation
crystal array or a scintillation crystal module, etc. In some
embodiments, the lengths and/or the thicknesses of at least some
scintillation crystal units 810 of the scintillation crystal array
800 may be different.
[0099] As shown in FIG. 8, scintillation crystal units 810 with
different heights may generate one or more ladder inflection
points, such as A and B. A line may be determined by the inflection
points A and B. The line may essentially coincide with the inclined
plane 820.
[0100] In some embodiments, the shape of the scintillation crystal
array 800 may be a prism. Merely by way of example, the shape of
the scintillation crystal array 800 may be a quadrangular
prism.
[0101] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the height of the scintillation crystal unit 810 may be
designed by some other methods, or be assigned a random value. As
another example, the thicknesses of at least some scintillation
crystal units of the scintillation crystal array may be different.
However, those variations and modifications do not depart from the
scope of the present disclosure.
[0102] FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary process for making the
scintillation crystal array 800 according to some embodiments of
the present disclosure. In step 910, the height of a scintillation
crystal unit 810 may be designed. In some embodiments, at least two
of scintillation crystal units 810 may have different heights. The
height of the scintillation crystal unit 810 at a position or the
height difference between adjacent scintillation crystal units 810
may be determined according to the inclined plane 820 of the
scintillation crystal array 800.
[0103] In step 920, the scintillation crystal units 810 may be
spliced together to form the scintillation crystal array 800. In
some embodiments, the scintillation crystal units 810 may be
spliced together by using optical coupling agent, coating,
adhesive, reflective agent, or the like, or any combination
thereof. In some embodiments, the splicing process may be same as
making scintillation crystal module as described elsewhere in the
present disclosure.
[0104] In step 930, the scintillation crystal array 800 may be
processed to generate the inclined plane 820. In some embodiments,
the processing method may include grinding, cutting, polishing,
cleaning, carving, or the like, or any combination thereof
[0105] In some embodiments, step 930 for processing the
scintillation crystal array 800 may be executed before step 920.
The splicing the scintillation crystal units 810 may be the last
step to form the final scintillation crystal array 800.
[0106] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, one or more of steps in FIG. 9 may be omitted or repeated
to form a scintillation crystal array 800. As another example, the
inclined plane 820 may be formed according to other methods (e.g.,
eroding, etc.) to form a scintillation crystal array 800. However,
those variations and modifications do not depart from the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0107] FIG. 10A through FIG. 10C illustrate an exemplary process
for making a scintillation crystal array 1000 according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. The scintillation crystal
array 1000 may include a plurality of scintillation crystal sticks
1010 as shown in FIG. 10C. As shown in FIG. 10A, a plurality of
scintillation crystal sticks 1010 may be provided. The heights of
the scintillation crystal sticks 1010 along the X direction may be
designed according to an inclined plane 1020. For example, at least
two of the scintillation crystal sticks 1010 along the X direction
may have different heights. The heights of the scintillation
crystal sticks 1010 along the Y direction may be essentially the
same. As shown in FIG. 10B, the scintillation crystal sticks 1010
may be spliced together in both the X direction and the Y direction
to form the scintillation crystal array 1000. The scintillation
crystal array 1000 may be further processed to form the inclined
plane 1020 as shown in FIG. 10C. In some embodiments, the
processing method may include grinding, cutting, polishing,
cleaning, carving, or the like, or any combination thereof.
[0108] FIG. 11A through FIG. 11E illustrate an exemplary process
for making a scintillation crystal array 1100 according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. The scintillation crystal
array 1100 may include a plurality of first scintillation crystal
slices 1110, a plurality of second scintillation crystal slices
1130, and a plurality of scintillation crystal sticks 1140. The
scintillation crystal array 1100 may have an inclined plane
1050.
[0109] In some embodiments, the length of the scintillation crystal
slice may be essentially the same as the length of the
scintillation crystal array 1100 along the Y direction. As
illustrated in FIG. 11A, a plurality of first scintillation crystal
slices 1110 may be provided. The heights of the first scintillation
crystal slices 1110 along the X direction may be designed according
to the inclined plane 1150. For example, at least two of the first
scintillation crystal slices 1110 along the X direction may have
different heights. As illustrated in FIG. 11B, the first
scintillation crystal slices 1110 may be spliced together along the
X direction to form an initial scintillation crystal array 1120.
Then the initial scintillation crystal array 1120 may be cut along
the X direction as shown in FIG. 11C. The initial scintillation
crystal array 1120 may be cut into a plurality of second
scintillation crystal slices 1130. The second scintillation crystal
slice 1130 may include a plurality of scintillation crystal sticks
1140. Then the second scintillation crystal slices 1130 may be
spliced together along the Y direction as shown in FIG. 11D. In
FIG. 11E, the spliced scintillation crystal array 1100 may be
processed to form the inclined plane 1150. In some embodiments, the
processing method may include grinding, cutting, polishing,
cleaning, carving, or the like, or any combination thereof
[0110] FIG. 12A through FIG. 12E illustrate an exemplary process
for making a scintillation crystal array 1200 according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. The scintillation crystal
array 1200 may include a plurality of first scintillation crystal
slices 1210, a plurality of second scintillation crystal slices
1230, a plurality of scintillation crystal sticks 1240. The
scintillation crystal array 1200 may have an inclined plane
1250.
[0111] As illustrated in FIG. 12A, a plurality of first
scintillation crystal slices 1210 may be provided. The heights of
the first scintillation crystal slices 1210 along the X direction
may be designed according to the inclined plane 1250. For example,
at least two of the first scintillation crystal slices 1210 along
the X direction may have different heights. As illustrated in FIG.
12B, the first scintillation crystal slices 1210 may be spliced
together along the X direction to form an initial scintillation
crystal array 1220. Then the initial scintillation crystal array
1220 may be processed to form the inclined plane 1250 as shown in
FIG. 12C. In some embodiments, the processing method may include
grinding, cutting, polishing, cleaning, carving, or the like, or
any combination thereof. The initial scintillation crystal array
1220 may be cut into a plurality of second scintillation crystal
slices 1230 along the X direction as shown in FIG. 12D. The second
scintillation crystal slice 1230 may include a plurality of
scintillation crystal sticks 1240. As shown in FIG. 12E, the second
scintillation crystal slices 1230 may be spliced together along the
Y direction to form the scintillation crystal array 1200.
[0112] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the number of the scintillation crystal slices or the
scintillation crystal sticks may be selected according to specific
scenarios. As another example, the shape of the scintillation
crystal slices or the scintillation crystal sticks may be different
according to specific scenarios. For still another example, the
splicing process may use the methods described elsewhere in the
present disclosure. However, those variations and modifications do
not depart from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0113] FIG. 13 is a diagram depicting a detector 1300 according to
some embodiments of the present disclosure. The detector 1300 may
be used in the imaging system 100. The imaging system 100 may be a
single modality imaging system, e.g., a Digital Subtraction
Angiography (DSA) system, a Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
system, a Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA), a Positron
Emission Tomography (PET) system, a Single Photon Emission Computed
Tomography (SPECT) system, a Computed Tomography (CT) system, a
Digital Radiography (DR) system, etc. In some embodiments, the
imaging system may be a multi-modality imaging system, e.g., a
Computed Tomography-Positron Emission Tomography (CT-PET) system, a
Positron Emission Tomography-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET-MRI)
system, a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Positron
Emission Tomography (SPECT-PET) system, a Digital Subtraction
Angiography-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DSA-MR) system, etc. As
shown in the figure, the detector 1300 may include a scintillation
crystal array 1310 and an avalanche photodiode array 1320.
[0114] In some embodiments, the scintillation crystal array 1310
may include one or more scintillation crystal sticks disposed in
different rows and columns. For illustration purposes, the rows may
be parallel to the X direction and the columns may be parallel to
the Y direction in FIG. 13. Merely by way of example, in a column
of the scintillation crystal array 1310, it may include
scintillation crystal sticks 1330-1, 1330-2, 1330-3, . . . ,
1330-N, wherein N may be an integer. The scintillation crystal
stick may include a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side
surface. The bottom surface may be opposite to the top surface. The
side surface may be between the bottom surface and the top
surface.
[0115] In some embodiments, the avalanche photodiode array 1320 may
include one or more avalanche photodiodes. The avalanche photodiode
array 1320 may be of a shape of a piece, a film, a slice, a flake,
a stick, a block, or the like, or any combination thereof. In some
embodiments, the avalanche photodiode array 1320 may be coupled to
one or more scintillation crystal sticks. For example, one piece of
the avalanche photodiode array 1320 may be connected with a column
of the scintillation crystal array 1310 as shown in FIG. 13. In
some embodiments, the avalanche photodiode array 1320 may include
one or more micro circuit units (not shown in the figure). The
micro circuit units may be linked with each other in a parallel
connection or a series connection. In some embodiments, the micro
circuit unit may further include an avalanche photodiode and a
quenching resistor.
[0116] FIG. 14A through FIG. 14C illustrate an exemplary
scintillation crystal stick according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 14A, a scintillation crystal
stick may include one or more surfaces 1410 and one or more
reflective films 1420. The surfaces 1410 may include a coupling
surface 1410-1, one or more adjacent surfaces (e.g., 1410-2,
1410-3, 1410-4, and 1410-5) close to the coupling surface 1410-1,
and a parallel surface 1410-6 that is essentially parallel to the
coupling surface 1410-1. The coupling surface 1410-1 may be
configured to couple with an avalanche photodiode array 1320. In
some embodiments, the coupling surfaces of the scintillation
crystal sticks in one row or column may align in a same plane. The
reflective films 1420 may decrease the transmission loss of visible
light generated by y photons. The reflective films 1420 may include
a reflective film 1420-2, 1420-3, 1420-4, 1420-5, and 1420-6. In
some embodiments, the reflective films may be made by a material
having a certain light reflectivity. Merely for illustration
purposes, the materials may include gold, silver, aluminum, copper,
chromium, palladium, silicon, titanium, or the like, or an alloy
thereof, or any combination thereof.
[0117] As shown in FIG. 14B, an angle .alpha. between the coupling
surface 1410-1 and adjacent surface 1410-2 or 1410-4 may be no more
than 90.degree., e.g., .alpha.<90.degree.. For instance, a may
be set between 30.degree. and 90.degree., or between 45.degree. and
90.degree.. Merely by way of example, a may be set between
45.degree. and 84.degree.. In some embodiments, the angle between
the coupling surface 1410-1 and the adjacent surface 1410-2 may be
different from the angle between the coupling surface 1410-1 and
the adjacent surface 1410-6. As shown in FIG. 14C, an angle between
the coupling surface 1410-1 and the adjacent surface 1410-3 or
1410-5 may be no more than 90.degree., e.g., .beta.<90.degree..
For instance, .beta. may be set between 60.degree. and 90.degree.,
or between 80.degree. and 90.degree.. Merely by way of example,
.beta. may be set between 87.degree. and 88.degree.. In some
embodiments, the angle between the angle between the coupling
surface 1410-1 and the adjacent surface 1410-3 may be different
from the angle between the coupling surface 1410-1 and the adjacent
surface 1410-5. It should be noted that the values of the angle
.alpha. and the angle .theta. are merely for illustration purposes,
and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. For
persons having ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and
modifications may be made under the teachings of the present
disclosure. For example, the angle .alpha. and/or the angle .theta.
may be assigned a smaller value to decrease the reflecting function
by the scintillation crystal stick.
[0118] FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B illustrate an exemplary manufacture
process of a scintillation crystal stick according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 15A, a
scintillation crystal block 1510 having the shape of a cuboid may
be provided. The shape of the scintillation crystal block 1510 may
be a cuboid, a cube, a sphere, or another regular or irregular
shape. In the embodiments as illustrated in FIG. 15A, the
scintillation crystal block 1510 may include a top surface 1510-2,
a bottom surface 1510-4, and one or more side surfaces (e.g.,
1510-1, 1510-3, 1510-5, and 1510-6). In some embodiments, the ratio
of the length of a side surface to the length of the top surface or
the bottom surface may be no less than 5:1. Any one of the side
surfaces may be selected as a coupling surface. For illustration
purposes, the side surface 1510-1 may be a coupling surface. Then
one or more of the other surfaces including 1510-3, 1510-5, and
1510-6 that are adjacent and/or opposite to the side surface 1510-1
may be processed. Exemplary processing methods may include cutting,
grinding, eroding, surface treating, or the like, or any
combination thereof.
[0119] As shown in FIG. 15B, a scintillation crystal stick 1520 may
be generated. Merely by way of example, the angle between the
coupling surface 1510-1 and the top surface 1520-2 or the bottom
surface 1520-4 may be assigned a value between 45.degree. and
84.degree., and the angle between the coupling surface 1510-1 and
side surface 1520-3 or side surface 1520-5 may be assigned a value
between 87.degree. and 88.degree.. Then the reflective films may be
disposed on the surfaces (except the coupling surface 1510-1),
e.g., the top surface 1520-2, the bottom surface 1520-4, the side
surface 1520-3, the side surface 1520-5, and/or the side surface
1520-6 of the scintillation crystal stick 1520. Exemplary disposing
methods may include gluing, spraying, physical vapor deposition
(PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or the like, or any
combination thereof. PVD may include evaporating, sputtering,
molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), etc. In some embodiments, one or more
scintillation crystal sticks 1520 may be assembled together in one
or more columns, where the coupling surfaces of all scintillation
crystal sticks in one column may be set in essentially a same
plane, and an avalanche photodiode array may be coupled to the
coupling surfaces. One or more of the scintillation crystal sticks
may be installed in a scintillation crystal array (as shown in FIG.
13).
[0120] FIG. 16 is a diagram depicting a detector 1600 according to
some embodiments of the present disclosure. The detector 1600 may
be used in the imaging system 100. The imaging system 100 may be a
single modality imaging system, e.g., a Digital Subtraction
Angiography (DSA) system, a Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
system, a Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA), a Positron
Emission Tomography (PET) system, a Single Photon Emission Computed
Tomography (SPECT) system, a Computed Tomography (CT) system, a
Digital Radiography (DR) system, etc. In some embodiments, the
imaging system may be a multi-modality imaging system, e.g., a
Computed Tomography-Positron Emission Tomography (CT-PET) system, a
Positron Emission Tomography-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET-MRI)
system, a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Positron
Emission Tomography (SPECT-PET) system, a Digital Subtraction
Angiography-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DSA-MR) system, etc. For
illustration purposes, a detector used in PET may be described
below as exemplary embodiments and not intended to limit the scope
of the present disclosure. As shown in the figure, the detector
1600 may include a scintillation crystal array 1610, a
photodetector array 1620, a circuit board 1630, a supporting block
1640, a supporting board 1650, and a shielded shell 1660.
[0121] In some embodiments, the scintillation crystal array 1610
may include one or more scintillation crystal sticks in a
one-dimensional arrangement, a two-dimensional arrangement, or a
three-dimensional arrangement. In the embodiments of the
one-dimensional array, the scintillation crystal sticks may be
disposed in a line. For example, the array may be 1.times.N,
wherein N may be an integer. In the embodiments of the
two-dimensional array, the scintillation crystal sticks may be
disposed in both horizontal and vertical directions. For example,
the array may be M.times.N, wherein M and/or N may be an
integer.
[0122] In some embodiments, the photodetector array 1620 may be
configured to absorb optical energy and convert it to electrical
energy. The photodetector array 1620 may be a photodiode, a PIN
photodiode, an avalanche photodiode, a phototransistor, a
metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetector, a photomultiplier, a
pyroelectric photodetector, a thermal detector, or the like, or any
combination thereof, or any photodetector as described elsewhere in
the present disclosure or known in the art. The photodetector array
1620 may be optically coupled with the photodetector array 1620 and
be fixed on one or more circuit boards 1630. In some embodiments,
the circuit board 1630 may be a printed circuit board (PCB).
[0123] In some embodiments, the supporting block 1640 may include
two parts, a supporting block 1640-1 and a supporting block 1640-2.
The supporting blocks 1640-1 and 1640-2 may be disposed at the two
opposite ends of the scintillation crystal array 1610. For example,
the supporting block 1640 may be glued with the scintillation
crystal array 1610 as shown in FIG. 16. In some embodiments, the
supporting block 1640-1 and the supporting block 1640-2 may be
connected with each other though the supporting board 1650. The
supporting board 1650 may be a flat board scalable in the
horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The supporting
board 1650 may be disposed between the photodetector array 1620 and
the circuit board 1630. The undersurface of the supporting board
1650 may face the photodetector array 1620. The upper surface of
the supporting board 1650 may face the circuit board 1630. In some
embodiments, there may be a first location structure (not shown in
the figure) on the supporting block 1640 or the supporting board
1650 configured to align the photodetector array 1620 on the
scintillation crystal array 1610. In some embodiments, there may
also be a second location structure (not shown in the figure) on
the supporting block 1640 or the supporting board 1650 configured
to fix the detector 1600 on an imaging scanner.
[0124] In some embodiments, one or more detectors 1600 may be
encircled into a ring. The axis line of the ring may be coincided
with the axis line of the scanner 100 of the imaging system 100. In
some embodiments, the distance of the supporting board 1650 from
the axis line may be less than the distance of the circuit board
1630.
[0125] In some embodiments, the detector 1600 may also include a
shielded shell 1660. The shielded shell 1660 may be configured to
contain the scintillator crystal array 1610, the photodetector
array 1620, the circuit board 1630 and the supporting board 1650.
In some embodiments, the shielded shell 1660 may be composed of one
or more shielded boards that are connected with each other. In some
embodiments, the shielded shell 1660 may also be composed of one or
more shielded boards that are connected with the supporting block
1640-1 and/or the supporting block 1640-2. FIG. 16 shows two
exemplary shielded boards 1660-1 and 1660-2. Exemplary materials of
the shielded board 1660 may include aluminum, carbon fiber, etc. As
shown in the figure, two ends of the shielded board 1660-2 may be
attached to the supporting block 1640-1 and/or the supporting block
1640-2 in a non-detachable manner or a detachable manner. The
non-detachable attachment may be achieve by way of, for example,
cutting, casting, welding, lithographic micromachining, stacking,
3D printing, or the like, or any combination thereof. The
detachable attachment may be achieved by way of, for example,
plugging, riveting, screwing, interlocking, or the like, or any
combination thereof. The shielded board 1660-1, 1660-2, and the
supporting block 1640 may provide support to the scintillation
crystal array 1610.
[0126] In some embodiments, the space in the shielded shell 1660
may be divided into a first cavity and a second cavity. In some
embodiments, the scintillation crystal array 1610 and the
photodetector array may be disposed in the first cavity, and the
circuit board 1630 may be disposed in the second cavity. In some
embodiments, the circuit board 1630 may be fixed on the supporting
board 1650 or the shielded shell 1660.
[0127] In some embodiments, the first cavity may include a first
space used as a passage for a cooling medium, and the second cavity
may include a second space used as a passage for a cooling medium.
In some embodiments, the first space and the second space may be
connected with each other through a ventilation hole (not shown in
the figure). The ventilation hole may be disposed on the supporting
board 1650 or the supporting block 1640. In some embodiments, the
imaging system may supply the cooling medium to the detector 1600.
After passing through the first space, the ventilation hole, and/or
the second space, the cooling medium may be exhausted from the
imaging system, or cooled and re-used.
[0128] In some embodiments, the detector 1600 may also include a
first elastic component 1670 and a second elastic component (not
shown in the figure). The first elastic component 1670 may be
disposed between the supporting board 1650 and the photodetector
array 1620 in an interval manner. The supporting board 1650 may
exert a force onto the photodetector array 1620 through the first
elastic component 1670, and tighten the connection between the
supporting board 1650 and the photodetector array 1620. The second
elastic component may be disposed between the supporting board 1650
and the circuit board 1630. The supporting board 1650 may exert a
force onto the circuit 1630 through the second elastic component,
and tighten the connection of the supporting board 1650 and the
circuit board 1630. The first and/or the second elastic component
may be a spring, an elastic cushion, an elastic board, or the like,
or any combination thereof. The first elastic component and the
second elastic component may have thermal conductance, for example,
they may be made by thermal conductive materials.
[0129] In some embodiments, there may be a cooling channel on the
supporting board 1650. In these embodiments, the supporting board
1650 may include a thermal conductive material. The cooling medium
may pass through the cooling channel and take away the heat of the
photodetector array 1620 and the circuit board 1630.
[0130] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the amount, size, shape, structure, materials, or
arrangement of the scintillation crystal array, the photodetector
array, the circuit board, the supporting block and the supporting
board in the detector 1600 may be changed according to specific
implementation scenarios. However, those variations and
modifications do not depart from the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0131] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a multi-modality imaging
system 1700 according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure. It should be noted that the multi-modality imaging
system 1700 described below is merely provided for illustration
purposes, and not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 17, the multi-modality imaging
system 1700 may include a first modality imaging apparatus 1710, a
second modality imaging apparatus 1720, an installation apparatus
1730, a workstation 1740, and a processor 1750. The first modality
imaging apparatus 1710 may include a first scanner 1711 and a first
controller 1712. The second modality imaging apparatus 1720 may
include a second scanner 1721 and a second controller 1722.
[0132] The multi-modality imaging system 1700 may include a
Computed Tomography-Positron Emission Tomography (CT-PET) system, a
Computed Tomography-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CT-MRI) system, a
Positron Emission Tomography-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET-MRI)
system, etc. In some embodiments, the multi-modality imaging system
1700 may further include a third modality imaging apparatus. The
radiation used herein may include a particle ray, a photon ray,
etc. The imaging system may find its applications in different
fields, for example, medicine, or industry. As another example, the
system may be used in internal inspection of components including,
e.g., flaw detection, security scanning, failure analysis,
metrology, assembly analysis, void analysis, wall thickness
analysis, or the like, or any combination thereof
[0133] The first modality imaging apparatus 1710 and/or the second
modality imaging apparatus 1720 may be a Positron Emission
Tomography (PET) system, a Single Photon Emission Computed
Tomography (SPECT) system, a Computed Tomography (CT) system, a
Digital Radiography (DR) system, or the like, or any combination
thereof. The first scanner 1711 and/or the second scanner 1721 may
be configured to acquire data according to scanning a subject.
Merely by way of example, the first scanner 1711 and/or the second
scanner 1721 may include a Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
scanner, a Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)
scanner, a Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, a Digital Radiography
(DR) scanner, or the like, or any combination thereof. In some
embodiments, the first scanner 1711 and or the second 1721 may be
operated by the first controller 1712 and/or the second controller
1722 to perform selected imaging sequences of a selected target
area.
[0134] The installation apparatus 1730 may be configured to align
the first modality imaging apparatus 1710 with the second modality
imaging apparatus 1720 coaxially. In some embodiments, the
installation apparatus 1730 may include a supporting block and a
set of guiding blocks etc. In some other embodiments, the
installation apparatus 1730 may include a center indicator and a
laser device etc.
[0135] The workstation 1740 may include a terminal, a display, a
database and a network. The terminal may be configured to input
and/or receive data to and/or from the network, the database, the
processor, the display etc. In some embodiments, the terminal may
include a user input, a controller, a processor etc. The display
may be configured to display data from the scanner, the processor,
the terminal, the network, or the like, or any combination thereof.
The display may be any displayable device. In some embodiments, the
terminal and the display may be integrated as one device configured
to input data, output data, display data, and control the imaging
system. The database may be configured to store data relating to
the imaging system. In some embodiments, the data may include a
text, an image, a voice, a force, an instruction, an algorithm, a
program, or the like, or any combination thereof. The network may
be configured to connect one or more components of the
multi-modality imaging system. Merely by way of example, the
network may include a tele communications network, a Local Area
Network (LAN), a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a Metropolitan
Area Network (MAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Bluetooth, a
ZigBee, a Near Field Communication (NFC), or the like, or any
combination thereof.
[0136] The processor 1750 may be configured to process the data
acquired from the multi-modality imaging system 1700. In some
embodiments, the data may include a text, an image, a voice, a
force, an instruction, an algorithm, a program, or the like, or any
combination thereof. In some embodiments, the program may include
some procedures provided by the installation apparatus 1730. The
procedures may be configured to install and align the
multi-modality imaging system 1700. In some embodiments, the
instruction may include some alignment information. The alignment
information may be configured to instruct the laser to transmit to
the center indicator. In some embodiments, the processor 1750 may
include one or more processors, one or more processing cores, one
or more memories, and one or more electronics for image processing,
or the like, or any combination thereof. Merely by way of example,
the processor 1750 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an
Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an
Application-Specific Instruction-Set Processor (ASIP), a Graphics
Processing Unit (GPU), a Physics Processing Unit (PPU), a Digital
Signal Processor (DSP), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a
Programmable Logic Device (PLD), a Controller, a Microcontroller
unit, a Processor, a Microprocessor, an ARM, or the like, or any
combination thereof. The processor may be configured to process
data acquired in the terminal. In some embodiments, the processor
1750 and the workstation 1740 may be integrated as one device.
[0137] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the processor 1750 and the workstation 1740 may be
implemented on a cloud platform or a remote system as described
elsewhere in the present disclosure. However, those variations and
modifications do not depart from the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0138] FIG. 18 is a block diagram of the installation apparatus
1730 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The
installation apparatus 1730 may include a control module 1810, a
guiding module 1820, a processor module 1830, a modulation module
1840 and an alignment module 1850.
[0139] The control module 1810 may be configured to control the
alignment process of the first modality imaging apparatus 1710
and/or the second modality imaging apparatus 1720. In some
embodiments, the control module 1810 may take control of the
guiding module 1820, the processor module 1830, the modulation
module 1840 and/or the alignment module 1850.
[0140] The guiding module 1820 may be configured to indicate the
first modality imaging apparatus 1710 aligning with the second
modality imaging apparatus 1720. In some embodiments, the guiding
module 1820 may include a first guiding block and a second guiding
block. The first guiding block may be installed on a first housing
of the first modality imaging apparatus 1710. The second guiding
block may be installed on a second housing of the second modality
imaging apparatus 1720. The joint of the first guiding block and
the second guiding block may indicate the second modality imaging
apparatus to align with the first modality imaging apparatus and
install on the supporting block. In some embodiments, the guiding
module 1820 may include a first center indicator and a second
center indicator. In some embodiments, the first center indicator
may be a rotation center indicator. The second center indicator may
include a first center indicator and a second center indicator. The
laser device may transmit laser through the rotation center
indicator, the first center indicator, and the second center
indicator to assess whether the first modality imaging apparatus
and the second modality imaging apparatus align.
[0141] The processor module 1830 may be configured to identify
whether the first modality imaging apparatus 1710 is coaxial with
the second modality imaging apparatus 1720. In some embodiments,
the processor module 1830 may calculate the center of the
multi-modality imaging system 1700 for the guiding module 1820. In
some embodiments, the processor module 1830 may calculate the
amount of the adjustment for the modulation module 1840. In some
embodiments, the processor module 1830 may identify the alignment
of the multi-modality imaging system 1700 for the alignment module
1850.
[0142] The modulation module 1840 may be configured to adjust the
first modality imaging apparatus 1710 so as to align with the
second modality imaging apparatus 1720. In some embodiments, the
modulation module 1840 may include a supporting block. The second
modality imaging apparatus may be mounted on the supporting block.
The number of the supporting blocks may be two or more. In some
embodiments, the modulation module 1840 may include a supporting
point. The number of the supporting point may be two or more. In
some embodiments, the supporting points may be configured to adjust
the front ends and the back ends of the multi-modality imaging
system 1700 in order to align the multi-modality imaging system
1700.
[0143] The alignment module 1850 may be configured to align the
first modality imaging apparatus 1710 with the second modality
imaging apparatus 1720. In some embodiments, the alignment module
1850 may include an indicator. The indicator may be configured to
give a feedback concerning the alignment. The feedback information
may include a text, an image, a voice, a force, an instruction, an
algorithm, a program, or the like, or any combination thereof
[0144] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the processor module 1840 may be displaced by a
calculation module. As another example, some modules, e.g., the
control module and the processing module, may be integrated as one
module. However, those variations and modifications do not depart
from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0145] FIG. 19A illustrates an installation apparatus of a
multi-modality imaging system according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 19A, the multi-modality
imaging system may include a first modality imaging apparatus 1710,
a second modality imaging apparatus 1720, and an installation
apparatus. The installation apparatus may include a first guiding
block 1910, a supporting block 1920, and a second guiding block
1930. The first modality imaging apparatus 1710 may include a first
housing and a first scanning cavity surrounded by the first
housing, where the first scanning cavity may extend along the axial
direction. The second modality imaging apparatus 1720 may include a
second housing and a second scanning cavity surrounded by the
second housing, where the second scanning cavity may extend along
the axial direction. The first guiding block 1910 may be installed
on the first housing of the first modality imaging apparatus 1710.
The second guiding block 1930 may be installed on the second
housing of the second modality imaging apparatus 1720. The first
guiding block 1910 and the second guiding block 1930 may be
configured to guide the second scanning cavity of the second
modality imaging apparatus 1720 to align with the first scanning
cavity of the first modality imaging apparatus 1710 along the axial
direction of the multi-modality imaging system. After the
alignment, the axial direction of the first modality imaging
apparatus may align with the axial direction of the second modality
imaging apparatus. The axial direction of the first modality
imaging apparatus or the axial direction of the second modality
imaging apparatus may constitute the axial direction of the
multi-modality imaging system. In some embodiments, the first
guiding block 1910 may be installed on the outside of the first
scanning cavity. The second guiding block 1930 may be installed on
the outside of the second scanning cavity. In some embodiments, the
first guiding block 1910 may extend beyond the front-end of the
first housing or the second guiding block 1930 may extend beyond
the front-end of the second housing. In some embodiments, the first
guiding block 1910 may be aligned with the second guiding block
1930. Then the second modality imaging apparatus 1710 may be guided
to install on the supporting block 1920.
[0146] FIG. 19B illustrates an installation apparatus of a
multi-modality imaging system according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 19B, the installation
apparatus may include a first guiding block 1910, a supporting
block 1920, a second guiding block 1930, and a third guiding block
1940. In some embodiments, the third guiding block 1940 may have a
first end and a second end. The first end of the third guiding
block 1940 may be connected to the first housing of the first
modality imaging apparatus 1710, and the second end of the third
guiding block 1940 may be connected to the supporting block 1920.
In some embodiments, the third guiding block 1940 may be configured
to indicate the horizontal direction of the installation position
for the supporting block 1920. The third guiding block 1940 may
further be configured to determine the installation position of the
second modality imaging apparatus 1720 in the horizontal direction.
In some embodiments, the connection of the third guiding block
1940, the first modality imaging apparatus 1710 and the supporting
block 1920 may be connected in a non-detachable manner or a
detachable manner. The non-detachable connection may include, for
example, cutting, casting, welding, lithographic micromachining,
stacking, 3D printing, or the like, or any combination thereof. The
detachable connection may include, for example, plugging, riveting,
screwing, interlocking, or the like, or any combination thereof. In
some embodiments, the number of the third guiding blocks 1940 and
the supporting blocks 1920 may be two or more.
[0147] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the number of the imaging apparatus included in the
multi-modality imaging system may be three or more. As another
example, the number, size, structure, shape, materials, and/or
position of the first guiding block, the second component, the
third guiding block, and/or the supporting block may be variable
according to different scenarios. However, those variations and
modifications do not depart from the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0148] FIG. 20A illustrates a supporting block according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 20A, the
supporting block 1920 may include a supporting plate 2010 and an
adjustable bolt 2020. There may be one or more screw holes on the
supporting plate 2010. The adjustable bolt 2020 be disposed on the
ground and pass through the screw hole of the supporting plate
2010. The adjustable bolt 2020 may adjust the distance between the
first supporting plate 2010 and the ground, in order to determine
the height of the supporting block 1920. A locknut 2030 may be also
set on the adjustable bolt 2020. The adjustable bolt 2020 may be
rotated to adjust a distance between the first supporting plate
2010 and the ground. Then the locknut 2030 may be used to lock the
adjustable bolt 2020. The adjustable bolt 2020 may include a hollow
cavity (not shown in the figure). A fixed bolt 2040 may pass
through the hollow cavity to fix the adjustable bolt 2020 on the
ground. Then the supporting block 1920 may be fixed on the ground.
According to a determined relative position between the second
modality imaging apparatus 1720 and the first modality imaging
apparatus 1710, the position of the supporting block 1920 may be
determined. The supporting block 1920 may further include a second
supporting plate 2050 and a supporting lump 2060. The second
supporting plate 2050 may be parallel to the first supporting plate
2010, and connected with the first supporting plate 2010 via the
supporting lump 2060. The second modality imaging apparatus 1720
may be mounted on the second supporting plate 2050. The number of
the adjustable bolts 2020 included in the supporting block 1920 may
be one or more. Merely by way of example, each supporting block
2020 may contain four adjustable bolts 2020 that are mounted on the
four corners of the first supporting plate 2010, respectively.
[0149] FIG. 20B illustrates a supporting block according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 20B, the
supporting block 1920 may include a guide rail 2070 and a slide
lump 2080 located on the guide rail. In some embodiments, the guide
rail 2070 may be mounted on the first supporting plate 2010 and
connected with the first supporting plate 2010 via a fixed block
2090. The second supporting plate 2050 may be fixedly jointed with
the slide lump 2080, in order to slide with the slide lump 2080
along the guide rail 2070. The second modality imaging apparatus
1720 may be mounted on the second supporting plate 2050. The second
modality imaging apparatus 1720 may be detachable from the first
modality imaging apparatus 1710 along the guide rail 2070. The
supporting block 1920 may further include a wedge-shaped shaft (not
shown in the figure). One end of the wedge-shaped shaft may be
fixed on the first supporting plate 2010, and the other end of the
wedge-shaped shaft may be inserted into a hole of the second
supporting plate 2050. Then the second supporting plate 2050 and
the slide lump 2080 may be locked on the guide rail 2070. The
supporting block 1920 may further include a limit lump setting on
the second supporting plate 2050. The second modality imaging
apparatus 1720 may be mounted within the area surrounded by the
limit lump, in order to avoid the movement relative to the second
supporting plate 2050.
[0150] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the number, size, structure, shape, materials, and/or
position of the components described above in the supporting block
1920 may be variable according to different scenarios. However,
those variations and modifications do not depart from the scope of
the present disclosure.
[0151] FIG. 21A is a structural schematic diagram of a first
guiding block according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure. As shown in FIG. 21A, the first guiding block 1910 may
have an L-shape structure and include a first flat plate 2110 and a
second flat plate 2120. In some embodiments, the first flat plate
2110 and the second flat plate 2120 may be orthogonal. The first
flat plate 2110 may be set with an installation screw hole 2130.
The installation screw hole 2130 may be used for installing the
first guiding block 1910 on the housing of the first modality
imaging apparatus 1710 at an installation position. The
installation position may be measured in advance. The end of the
second flat plate 2120 may be include a groove 2140. The groove
2140 may be configured to align with the second guiding block 1930
and accommodate a portion of the second modality imaging apparatus
1720 to be installed on the supporting block 1920.
[0152] FIG. 21B illustrates a second guiding block according to
some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 21B,
the second guiding block 1930 may have an L-shape structure and
include a third flat plate 2150 and a fourth flat plate 2160. In
some embodiments, the third flat plate 2150 and the fourth flat
plate 2160 may be orthogonal. The third flat plate 2150 may be set
with an installation screw hole 2170. The installation screw hole
2170 may be used for installing the second guiding block 1930 onto
the housing of the second modality imaging apparatus 1720 at an
installation position. The installation position may be measured in
advance.
[0153] FIG. 21C illustrates an alignment of the first guiding block
and the second guiding block according to some embodiments of the
present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 21C, the end of the fourth
flat plate 2160 of the second guiding block 1930 may be inserted in
the groove 2140 of the first guiding block 1910. In some
embodiments, the width of the end of the fourth flat plate 2160 may
be identical to the width of the groove 2140.
[0154] In some embodiments, the end of the fourth flat plate 2140
may be set with a scale. When the end of the fourth flat plate 2160
is inserted in the groove 2140, whether the second modality imaging
apparatus 1720 is mounted at the expected position in the
perpendicular direction may be determined according to the
indicator scale of the groove 2140. When the second modality
imaging apparatus 1720 is not inserted in the expected position,
the adjustable bolt 2020 may be rotated to adjust the height of the
second modality imaging apparatus 1720. The locknut 2030 may be
used to lock the adjustable bolt 2020 until reaching the expected
position.
[0155] In some embodiments, the first guiding block 1910 may be a
light emission device, and the second guiding block 1930 may be a
light reception device. The light signal transmitted from the first
guiding block 1910 may be received by the second guiding block 1930
if the first guiding block 1910 aligns with the second guiding
block 1930.
[0156] According to the present disclosure, a method of the
installation alignment by the installation apparatus 1900 used for
the multi-modality imaging system is provided. The method may
include the following procedures:
[0157] Step one, the first modality imaging apparatus 1710 may be
installed;
[0158] Step two, the supporting block 1920 may be installed on the
housing of the first modality imaging apparatus 1710 or on the
ground;
[0159] Step three, the first guiding block 1910 may be installed on
the housing of the first modality imaging apparatus 1710, and the
second guiding block 1930 may be installed on the housing of the
second modality imaging apparatus 1720;
[0160] Step four, the first guiding block 1910 and the second
guiding block 1930 may guide the second scanning cavity of the
second modality apparatus 1720 to align with the first scanning
cavity of the first modality imaging apparatus 1710 in the axial
direction, wherein the second modality imaging apparatus 1910 may
be mounted on the supporting component 1920.
[0161] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the first modality imaging apparatus may be mounted on the
corresponding supporting block in some embodiments. However, those
variations and modifications do not depart from the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0162] For illustration purposes, the first modality apparatus 1710
may be a PET apparatus and the second modality apparatus 1720 may
be a CT apparatus. The PET apparatus and the CT apparatus may be
coupled into a PET-CT rack. FIG. 22A is an exploded view of a CT
center indicator according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure. FIG. 22B is a schematic diagram of a four-dimensional
adjust platform according to some embodiments of the present
disclosure. FIG. 23 illustrates a PET center indicator according to
some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 22A,
FIG. 22B, and FIG. 23, the installation alignment indicator device
of the PET-CT rack may include a CT center indicator 2200 and a PET
center indicator 2300. In some embodiments, the CT center indicator
2200 may be configured to indicate the rotation center of CT
detector, and the PET center indicator 2300 may be configured to
indicate the center of PET detector.
[0163] As shown in FIG. 22A and FIG. 22B, the CT center indicator
2200 may include a supporting plate 2210, a joint block 2220, a
laser device 2230, a four-dimensional adjust platform 2240, and a
laser device fixed loop 2250. The laser device 2230 may be fixed on
the four-dimensional platform 2240 via the laser device fixture
loop 2250. In some embodiments, the laser device 2230 may include a
focus ring 2231. The focus ring 2231 may be configured to focus the
laser. The four-dimensional adjust platform 2240 may include four
adjusting knobs 2241-2244. The adjusting knob 2241 and/or the
adjusting knob 2243 may achieve the translation of the
four-dimensional adjust platform along the X direction. The
adjusting knob 2242 and/or the adjusting knob 2244 may achieve
translation motion of the four-dimensional adjust platform along
the Y direction. The four-dimensional adjust platform 2240 may be
set with the laser device 2230, and fixed on the supporting plate
2210 via the joint block 2220. The four-dimensional adjust platform
2240 may be fixed on the reserved hickey of the joint block 2220
via a bolt 2223 and a bolt 2224. The joint block 2220 of the
four-dimensional adjust platform 2240 may be fixed on the
supporting plate 2210 via a bolt 2221 and a bolt 2222. Rear-end of
the laser device 2230 may pass through the round hole 2211 of the
center of the supporting plate 2210. In some embodiments, the round
hole 2211 may be a hole which is predesigned on the supporting
plate 2210. The supporting plate 2210 may further include a hole
2212, a hole 2213, a hole 2214, and a hole 2215. In some
embodiments, the holes 2212-2215 may be configured to reduce the
weight of the supporting plate 2211 and easy to install and
disassemble.
[0164] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the amount, size, shape, structure, materials, or
arrangement the hole may be changed according to different
scenarios. However, those variations and modifications do not
depart from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0165] FIG. 23 illustrates a PET center indicator according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 23, the PET
center indicator 2300 may include a first center plate 2321, a
second center plate 2322, a first center indicator 2323, and a
second center indicator 2324. The first center indicator 2323 may
be laid on the center of the first center plate 2321, and the
second center indicator 2324 may be laid on the center of the
second center plate 2322. In some embodiments, the first center
indicator 2323 and the second center indicator 2324 may have an
indicator plate with a cross scale, respectively. In some
embodiments, the first center indicator 2323 and the second center
indicator 2324 may have an indicator plate with a concentric scale,
respectively. In some embodiments, the first center indicator 2323
and the second center indicator 2324 may have an indicator plate
with a tiny hole in the center, respectively. Persons having
ordinary skilled in the art will recognize that the present
teachings are amenable to a variety of modifications and/or
enhancements. For example, the first center indicator 2323 and the
second center indicator 2324 may be equipped with any indicative
article according to actual conditions.
[0166] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. For
example, the first center indicator 2323 and the second center
indicator 2324 may have the indicator plate with a photo switch in
the center in some embodiments. However, those variations and
modifications do not depart from the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0167] FIG. 24 illustrates an exemplary process of installation
alignment in a multi-modality imaging system according to some
embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the
process described below is merely provided for illustration
purposes, and not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0168] In step 2410, the center indicator 2200 on the first
modality imaging apparatus 1710 may be installed. For example, the
supporting plate 2210 may be fixed on the reserved hickey of the
first modality imaging apparatus 1710 via the bolt 2221 and the
bolt 2222. The center indicator 2200 may be configured to indicate
the center of the first modality imaging apparatus. Successively or
at the same time, the second center indicator 2300 may be installed
on the reserved hickey of the second modality imaging apparatus
1720. The center indicator 2300 may be configured to indicate the
center of the second modality imaging apparatus.
[0169] In step 2420, a laser beam may be transmitted by the laser
device 2230. In some embodiments, the laser beam may roughly focus
on the center of the first modality imaging apparatus 1710. The
laser device 2230 may also transmit the laser beam to a second
modality imaging apparatus 1720. The second modality imaging
apparatus 1720 may be set on the installation position. A laser
spot may be generated on the first center plate 2321 by the laser
beam transmitted from the laser device 2230. The laser spot may be
moved close to the first center indicator 2323 located on the first
center plate 2321. The focus ring 2231 of the laser device 2230 may
be adjusted to minimize the laser spot of the first center plate
2321.
[0170] In step 2430, the center of the first modality imaging
apparatus 1710 may be identified. In some embodiments, the first
modality imaging apparatus 1710 may be a CT apparatus, and the CT
rack may be rotated gradually by a rotation component. In some
embodiments, if the laser beam do not coincide with CT rotation
center exactly, the laser trajectory on the first center plate 2321
may be a circle. The adjusting knobs of the four-dimensional adjust
platform 2240 may be rotated to keep the laser spot
immovability.
[0171] In step 2440, a first end for aligning the first center
indicator may be adjusted. In some embodiments, the second modality
imaging apparatus 1720 may be a PET apparatus, and the PET rack may
be moved and/or the front ends of the PET may be adjusted in order
to align the laser spot with the first center indicator 2323.
[0172] In step 2450, a second end for aligning the second center
indicator may be adjusted. In some embodiments, the second modality
imaging apparatus may be a PET. The first center plate 2321 may be
kept stationary and the first center indicator 2323 may be
disassembled. The laser spot may be moved closer to the second
center indicator 2324 of the second center plate 2322. The focus
ring 2231 may be adjusted in order to minimize the laser spot. The
back ends may be adjusted in order to align the laser spot with the
second center indicator 2324. In some embodiments, the first center
indicator 2323 may not be disassembled.
[0173] In step 2460, whether the laser beam passes the first center
indicator and the second center indicator at the same time may be
judged. In some embodiments, if the laser passes the first center
indicator and the second center indicator, it may activate step
2470. In step 2470, the first modality imaging apparatus center may
be aligned to the second modality imaging apparatus detector
center. If the laser does not satisfy the criterion of step 2460,
it may return to step 2430. In some embodiments, if the laser does
not satisfy the criterion of step 2460, it may return to step 2440.
After step 2470, the process of the installation alignment in a
multi-modality imaging system is completed.
[0174] In some embodiments, before adjusting the supporting point
of the front ends or the back ends in the second modality imaging
apparatus, the rotation center of the first modality imaging
apparatus may be reconfirmed. If the position of the laser spot is
immovability, it may indicate that the laser spot is still on the
CT rotation center. If the laser trajectory on the back center
plate is a circle during the rotating of the CT rotation component,
it may be necessary to adjust the adjusting knobs of the
four-dimensional adjust platform 2240, in order to make sure the
laser spot keeps immovability during the rotating of the CT.
[0175] It should be noted that the above description is merely
provided for the purposes of illustration, and not intended to
limit the scope of the present disclosure. For persons having
ordinary skills in the art, multiple variations and modifications
may be made under the teachings of the present disclosure. In some
embodiments, the order of some steps may be exchanged. For example,
the process of step 2460 may return to step 2450 instead of step
2430 or step 2440. However, those variations and modifications do
not depart from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0176] Having thus described the basic concepts, it may be rather
apparent to those skilled in the art after reading this detailed
disclosure that the foregoing detailed disclosure is intended to be
presented by way for example only and is not limiting. Various
alterations, improvements, and modifications may occur and are
intended to those skilled in the art, though not expressly stated
herein. These alterations, improvements, and modifications are
intended to be suggested by this disclosure, and are within the
spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this
disclosure.
[0177] Moreover, certain terminology has been used to describe
embodiments of the present disclosure. For example, the terms "one
embodiment," "an embodiment," and/or "some embodiments" mean that a
particular feature, structure or characteristic described in
connection with the embodiment is included in at least one
embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is emphasized
and should be appreciated that two or more references to "an
embodiment" or "one embodiment" or "an alternative embodiment" in
various portions of this specification are not necessarily all
referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular
features, structures or characteristics may be combined as suitable
in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0178] Further, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art,
aspects of the present disclosure may be illustrated and described
herein in any of a number of patentable classes or context
including any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or
composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof.
Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented
entirely hardware, entirely software (including firmware, resident
software, micro-code, etc.) or combining software and hardware
implementation that may all generally be referred to herein as a
"block," "module," "apparatus," "unit," "component," "device," or
"system." Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may take
the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more
computer readable media having computer readable program code
embodied thereon.
[0179] A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated
data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein,
for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a
propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including
electro-magnetic, optical, or the like, or any suitable combination
thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer
readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and
that may communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by
or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus,
or device. Program code embodied on a computer readable signal
medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including
wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, or the like, or any
suitable combination of the foregoing.
[0180] Computer program code for carrying out operations for
aspects of the present disclosure may be written in any combination
of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented
programming language such as Java, Scala, Smalltalk, Eiffel, JADE,
Emerald, C++, C#, VB. NET, Python or the like, conventional
procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming
language, Visual Basic, Fortran 2003, Perl, COBOL 2002, PHP, ABAP,
dynamic programming languages such as Python, Ruby and Groovy, or
other programming languages. The program code may execute entirely
on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a
stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and
partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or
server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be
connected to the user's computer through any type of network,
including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN),
or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example,
through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider) or in a
cloud computing environment or offered as a service such as a
Software as a Service (SaaS).
[0181] Furthermore, the recited order of processing elements or
sequences, or the use of numbers, letters, or other designations
therefore, is not intended to limit the claimed processes and
methods to any order except as may be specified in the claims.
Although the above disclosure discusses through various examples
what is currently considered to be a variety of useful embodiments
of the disclosure, it is to be understood that such detail is
solely for that purpose, and that the appended claims are not
limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, are
intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that
are within the spirit and scope of the disclosed embodiments. For
example, although the implementation of various components
described above may be embodied in a hardware device, it may also
be implemented as a software only solution--e.g., an installation
on an existing server or mobile device.
[0182] Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the foregoing
description of embodiments of the present disclosure, various
features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment,
figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the
disclosure aiding in the understanding of one or more of the
various inventive embodiments. This method of disclosure, however,
is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the
claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly
recited in each claim. Rather, inventive embodiments lie in less
than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment.
[0183] In some embodiments, the numbers expressing quantities of
ingredients, properties such as molecular weight, reaction
conditions, and so forth, used to describe and claim certain
embodiments of the application are to be understood as being
modified in some instances by the term "about," "approximate," or
"substantially." For example, "about," "approximate," or
"substantially" may indicate .+-.20% variation of the value it
describes, unless otherwise stated. Accordingly, in some
embodiments, the numerical parameters set forth in the written
description and attached claims are approximations that may vary
depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by a
particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the numerical
parameters should be construed in light of the number of reported
significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting
forth the broad scope of some embodiments of the application are
approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific
examples are reported as precisely as practicable.
[0184] Each of the patents, patent applications, publications of
patent applications, and other material, such as articles, books,
specifications, publications, documents, things, and/or the like,
referenced herein is hereby incorporated herein by this reference
in its entirety for all purposes, excepting any prosecution file
history associated with same, any of same that is inconsistent with
or in conflict with the present document, or any of same that may
have a limiting affect as to the broadest scope of the claims now
or later associated with the present document. By way of example,
should there be any inconsistency or conflict between the
description, definition, and/or the use of a term associated with
any of the incorporated material and that associated with the
present document, the description, definition, and/or the use of
the term in the present document shall prevail.
[0185] In closing, it is to be understood that the embodiments of
the application disclosed herein are illustrative of the principles
of the embodiments of the application. Other modifications that may
be employed may be within the scope of the application. Thus, by
way of example, but not of limitation, alternative configurations
of the embodiments of the application may be utilized in accordance
with the teachings herein. Accordingly, embodiments of the present
application are not limited to that precisely as shown and
described.
* * * * *